Honour from Queen - Wigan Casino Soul DJ Richard Searling

Fantastic achievement. Richly deserved recognition. All-round top man. Excellent taste in music...

"Can one show a few moves to enlighten me on what this Northern Soul is all about" said her majesty to Mr Searling......

"Why of course ma'am" came the reply...

"Please play this link on one's smart phone and the true Wigan legacy will be revealed"

Suddenly her majesty throws herself into a spin, and follows up with a backdrop

" How's that Dickie" screams the Queen.

"Not bad for a first try ma'am " replies Richard.

"Keep the faith Dickie' replies the Queen as Richard moves on so Soul Source Mike can pick up his gong for services to soul websites...

Ed

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

Wigan Today newspaper reporting the news that Richard Searling has been awarded the British Empire Medal in this weeks Queens Birthday Honours 

 

wow thats great news

hats off indeed 

thanks for passing on Phil

mike

Excellent! Really pleased to read this.

What's next for Mr Searling? Maybe the "Keys to the city"..... oh no, he's already done that

 

Steve

Well deserved.

Congratulations Richard.  An ambassador and pioneer of the scene.  After all these years his enthusiasm and contribution are still something to be admired and celebrated.  I don't think things would be quite as they are today without his ceaseless efforts to promote and support all things soul. Well done mate

Respect to  Sir Richard of Searling 

No seriously what a honour and so well deserved 

TOP across the board DJ well done sir DICKIE

Cream always rises to the top. Well done Sir Richard!

Great news for the main man.

Congratulations Richard (I am sure he still wishes to be called that being the type of guy he is)

That hopefully means that Colin Curtis is next in line for a service award to music, let's all get voting for my buddy

Congratulations ! Great news , well deserved .

At last "THE KING OF THE CASINO" gets what he rightly deserves!!

Sir Richard Searling as devoted life to the Soul Scene and it's been along time coming.

A Fantastic DJ, and what a TOP Radio presenter with a great voice to match.

Pete Roberts

well i never did...................we are all part of ones establishment now..............buck house ballroom would be a good venue for a niter richard, use your influence .......

Amazing! Well deserved Richard! I wonder will Russ be next?

Congratulations. A lifetime commitment to soul music a true ambassador.well done Richard enjoy your award & special day.

5 hours ago, Philb said:

News/Article/Feature Highlight:

Wigan Today newspaper reporting the news that Richard Searling has been awarded the British Empire Medal in this weeks Queens Birthday Honours.
He received the BEM for services to the soul music industry and community in the north of England.

View full article

 

well done mate you influenced a whole generation by the records you found ,yes including me Richard  

the Establishment  finally award the right person he truly influenced the whole of the empire with a genre of music  that has lasted the test of time .

That's great news, I'm really pleased.

Maybe now the BBC can give him a Radio 2 Soul Show!!!  Somebody for once, who knows what he is doing!!

Anybody who could listen to me talking 20 to the dozen, in the DJ box at VaVa's, and still keep the sounds flowing deserves a medal. 

Great news! Well done to Richard for years of dedicated work. Not only has he opened the ears of many to this wonderful music, and in so doing helped to bring great joy and deserved recognition to the artists who were otherwise ignored, but how much of northern England must have benefited from the economic impact of the events he has organised? Congratulations to a true gentleman.

not before time mr searling great dj always has time for the punters a true gent

9 hours ago, Mike said:

wow thats great news

hats off indeed 

thanks for passing on Phil

mike

 

Well done Richard you deserve it 

In the cause of services to soul music...

Sir Richard is warranted.

And

I'd like to see a posthumous award to David Godin RIP...who named that phrase...

And

Controversially or not Mr Ian Levine surely must warrant a place in the house of Lords?

The honours list could be quite long if you consider who made big impacts on this scene we love!

Dame Mary Chapman?

Earl Barnfather?

Count Buttle?

Viscount Heyden?

Duke Curtis?

Ed

At last, something in the news that has put a smile on my face. Congrats to Richard -well deserved.

Excellent News, Let's be standing for Sir Richard Searling Number One Soul Spinner.....

11 hours ago, Tomangoes said:

In the cause of services to soul music...

Sir Richard is warranted.

And

I'd like to see a posthumous award to David Godin RIP...who named that phrase...

And

Controversially or not Mr Ian Levine surely must warrant a place in the house of Lords?

The honours list could be quite long if you consider who made big impacts on this scene we love!

Dame Mary Chapman?

Earl Barnfather?

Count Buttle?

Viscount Heyden?

Duke Curtis?

Ed

What about Baron Butch?

 

Do we have Barons? Or Counts for that matter:)

Still room for a Marquess though..

Ed

Well it is a fantastic recognition for Richard .. and I think well deserved for reasons that go way beyond playing a few tasty tunes over the years

It feels like an acknowledgment of the importance of British culture in embracing the lost music of the USA .. 

I just wish Dave Godin had been awarded a similar honour but I can imagine when Richard receives it Dave will be in his thoughts .... in my dealings with Richard humilty has always been one of his most endearing qualities

So bloody well deserved .. thrilled for him

Andy

Congratulations Richard & Thanks for the memories, ..Cheers! 

That’s great. Listening to him now on Solar. His enthusiasm is infectious. Really well deserved accolade

One man on the scene that truly deserves it, long may he reign !!!!

On 08/06/2019 at 14:34, ric-tic said:

Amazing! Well deserved Richard! I wonder will Russ be next?

Sir Russ will get the wooden spoon for services for crucifing the soul scene with casino classics

7 hours ago, Andy Rix said:

Well it is a fantastic recognition for Richard .. and I think well deserved for reasons that go way beyond playing a few tasty tunes over the years

It feels like an acknowledgment of the importance of British culture in embracing the lost music of the USA .. 

I just wish Dave Godin had been awarded a similar honour but I can imagine when Richard receives it Dave will be in his thoughts .... in my dealings with Richard humilty has always been one of his most endearing qualities

So bloody well deserved .. thrilled for him

Andy

Totally agree Andy with all you say regarding Richard this is so well deserved and I am sure Richard would agree also that Dave Godin should have also been given some kind of recognition for all he did to bring us the wonderful Rare Soul ,Deep Soul,Motown and Northern Soul that he gave us with so much previously unknown information. But many congratulations Richard and thanks for letting me buy that beat up copy of Determination on Stateside off you at Blackpool Mecca all those years ago for 50p, you didn’t want to sell it cos it was such a beat up copy, just to let you know it still plays great and the scratches just make the voice of Dean Parrish sound even better. Thanks for all you do and long may you continue to do so, congratulations once again and best wishes 

Andy May

Congratulations Richard - As has been said, it's great to have good news such as this.

One day I'd like to walk down Oxford Street and see one of those historical Blue plaques on the wall of The 100 Club with Ady's name on it, stating how many years the All-nighters ran for - Hopefully it will be something I see when I'm an old man 'cause it that ain't time yet 

Len 

A wonderful DJ and a wonderful man who has time for everyone on the scene, old and new.

On 08/06/2019 at 22:54, Tomangoes said:

In the cause of services to soul music...

Sir Richard is warranted.

And

I'd like to see a posthumous award to David Godin RIP...who named that phrase...

And

Controversially or not Mr Ian Levine surely must warrant a place in the house of Lords?

The honours list could be quite long if you consider who made big impacts on this scene we love!

Dame Mary Chapman?

Earl Barnfather?

Count Buttle?

Viscount Heyden?

Duke Curtis?

Ed

I often discuss with my wife the pros and cons of old age in a nursing home and have just realised that if there was such a home, full of these people, I would 100% get on the list....imagine spending your autumn years in the company of them  

just a timely kick up to raise this above the closed topic

On 08/06/2019 at 10:10, Philb said:

News/Article/Feature Highlight:

Wigan Today newspaper reporting the news that Richard Searling has been awarded the British Empire Medal in this weeks Queens Birthday Honours.
He received the BEM for services to the soul music industry and community in the north of England.

View full article

Quote

“The whole honours system stinks of class privilege and social snobbery […] It is a relic of feudalism, with a taint of nepotism and corruption. […]In addition, too many honours have imperial titles, such as Member of the British Empire. The Empire is rightly long gone. When it existed, hundreds of millions of people in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Pacific were colonised by Britain, ruled against their will, enslaved, exploited as cheap labour and had their lands stripped of natural resources. This sordid imperial history is not something worthy of commemoration with honours such as MBEs, OBEs and CBEs” (Tatchell, 2016).

I totally agree with Tatchell....honours are just a naff establishment trying to own and legitimise people and movements......Benjamin Zephaniah refused his on grounds that it was more representative of a VBE (victim of the British Empire) ..........opening up a great date here for all the jingoists who miss the old colonies I guess....well debate is always nice......

By the way, Godin, a political activist his entire life and a vocal one at that, would have outright refused any award from the Empire....

 

 

39 minutes ago, paul-s said:

I totally agree with Tatchell....honours are just a naff establishment trying to own and legitimise people and movements......Benjamin Zephaniah refused his on grounds that it was more representative of a VBE (victim of the British Empire) ..........opening up a great date here for all the jingoists who miss the old colonies I guess....well debate is always nice......

By the way, Godin, a political activist his entire life and a vocal one at that, would have outright refused any award from the Empire....

 

 

Oh no!  What have you done Richard?  The Establishment now owns the Northern Soul scene.

1 hour ago, paul-s said:

I totally agree with Tatchell....honours are just a naff establishment trying to own and legitimise people and movements......Benjamin Zephaniah refused his on grounds that it was more representative of a VBE (victim of the British Empire) ..........opening up a great date here for all the jingoists who miss the old colonies I guess....well debate is always nice......

By the way, Godin, a political activist his entire life and a vocal one at that, would have outright refused any award from the Empire....

 

 

This chap stood to be an MP for Labour. Is that not joining the establishment?

I doubt he knows Mr Searling, or about our scene, or you.

He is colorful though, and if his opinions float your boat, good on yer. 

Ed

He (Richard) was always polite with me...and I never met Sir Terry Wogan ( but neither do I scorn his award)

On 08/06/2019 at 22:54, Tomangoes said:

And

I'd like to see a posthumous award to David Godin RIP...who named that phrase...

The only posthumous awards that can be granted are for bravery like the George Cross or Victoria Cross, so there's no chance of that happening. You can, however, apply for a Blue Plaque on a building associated with them, in that case they have to be dead first. 

So a national 'Godin Northern Soul bank holiday ' is out of the question.... 

Maybe he can go on a stamp or a bank note?

It's all good fun!

Ed

 

29 minutes ago, Tomangoes said:

So a national 'Godin Northern Soul bank holiday ' is out of the question.... 

 

Now there's an idea! The 21st June is his Birthday perhaps we should all take the day off to celebrate?

And as for the banknote, he'd have to feature on it if they ever bring out one of these. . . . 

 

Indeed, for the man who named this phenomenon and for one of the men who championed the cause.

Ed